Abstract: This paper reports on the design, development, and application of a Checklist intended to assist educators in recognizing strengths and weaknesses in their technology-based programs at their institutions. The Checklist sampled public and private schools to validate the existence and impact of the Technology Facade. Initial findings indicate that schools have masked the effective use of computers labs and classroom computers behind the auspices of teacher activities, student participation, and parental involvement. The study and suggests possible courses of action to address deficiencies in the use of technology, the construction of the necessary infrastructure, and the design of a viable instructional strategy.

The Checklist is copyright protected by Allyn & Bacon Publisher and the author of The Technology Facade, Dr Lawrence Tomei, and may not be reprinted either hard copy or digitally without the expressed written permission of the publisher.

Introduction

The Technology Facade...have you seen it? Has anyone mentioned it to you? Do you know what it is? Although a precise definition may elude us at the outset, as dedicated educators, we probably know it when we see it. Consider these scenarios....

"A state-of-the-art computer lab is filled with Macintosh or Windows personal computers. They sport the latest processor, the fastest CDROM player, the largest memory capacity, and the most sophisticated multimedia sound system. But students are not permitted in the lab after school and no one can use the machines unless the computer teacher is present."

"A school district handbook contains a Technology section lauding the expensive inventory of hardware and software recently purchased and installed courtesy of the local PTA. After nearly two years of bake sales, candy drives, and magazine campaigns, we have the most up to date computer systems available. But not a single teacher, much less any member of the staff, has been. Students know more about how to operate these tools than their teachers."

And, finally... "A technology coordinator briefs visiting dignitaries on the benefits of computers to our school. No one asks the teachers. And, of course, the technology coordinator does not have the educational vocabulary much less the classroom experience to communicate with teachers who are being pushed to integrate technology into their curriculum."

Do any - or all - of these scenarios sound familiar? If so, welcome to the Technology Facade. Much like a guided tour through the back lot of a famous movie studio, with its false fronts and hollowed out sets, the Technology Facade presents a false sense of activity and substance with respect to the uses of technology in the school. Shiny computer labs, ill-prepared and overworked technology coordinators, and last minute budget re-adjustments run counter to a technology-based curriculum that deserves to be grounded in proven pedagogy, a viable support infrastructure, and sound fiscal propriety.

For many schools (and many more students), this is the reality of technology in the classroom. This article will help you recognize the Technology Facade in your district, your school, and most importantly, in your classroom whether that be as a teacher, student, or concerned parent. The Facade can only be overcome by a steadfast refusal to be taken in by what appears on the surface. It takes a willingness to displace the facade with a robust structure to bring about real change in the classroom of the 21st century.

Defining The Technology Facade

The Technology Facade is best described as "the use of technology in a school without benefit of a necessary infrastructure to support its application as a viable instructional strategy." Key elements of this definition provide some common understanding about terminology: technology, infrastructure, and instructional strategy." The Technology Facade occurs when we fail to understand that the educational imperative of technology involves the integration of computers and software with learning strategies, developmental principles, and pedagogical ideals to solve real-world educational problems. The Technology Facade occurs when we fail to understand that technology is an on-going process that demands the time, attention, and dedication of many competent people; a significant and consistent level of financial investment; and, a commitment of resources that will necessarily be diverted from other critical school-wide obligations. And, finally, the Technology Facade occurs when we fail to equip our teachers with the necessary skills to successfully prepare, present, and evaluate instructional lessons using technology.

The Study

The Technology Facade Checklist (Tomei, 1999)was developed for application to schools and school districts. A selective sample of public and private schools was chosen to validate the Checklist and to test for the existence and impact of the Technology Facade on a variety of institutions representing a range of student populations, ethnic diversity, teacher preparation and in-service programs, financial support capability, and instructional focus. In conjunction with the Technology Facade definition, the 20 item Checklist includes questions categorized as Use of Technology, the Necessary Infrastructure, and a Viable Instructional Strategy.

Use of Technology. Questions pertaining to the Use of Technology focuses on access to computer facilities, incorporation of technology-based competencies in classroom lessons, status of hardware and software, use of computer facilities for classroom instruction, and the ratio of students to computers (in both classrooms and computer labs). They include:

1. Are the computer labs in your school used by classroom teachers or is the computer teacher the only educator who dispenses technology-related instruction? This item uncovers the practical, daily applications of technology by all teachers within the school, not only the computer teacher.

3. Are teachers expected to include specific learning objectives related to technology-based competencies in the Lesson Plans? Teachers should incorporate specific learning objectives dealing with technology in their lesson plans; most states already require technology-based competency standards.

4. Does the software found on computers reflect current classroom curriculum? Or, is the computer software outdated, seldom reflecting what student are doing in the classroom?

5. Do classroom teachers use computers for grades, lesson preparation, out of classroom assignments, and professional self-development? Many teachers are forced into using technology by principal, peers, or parents. This item examines four particular uses that evidence commitment on the part of teachers to model and demonstrate technology in the classroom.

6. Are major computer facilities located in the school's Library, classrooms only, or a majority of regular classrooms? Most schools are moving away from the computer lab as the single focal point for classroom technology. This item awards extra points for those schools who are integrating technology in the classroom.

Necessary Infrastructure. Items regarding the Necessary Infrastructure include related issues of teacher training, preparation, and incentives; strategic technology planning and funding; professional staffing of technology facilities; and, replacement policies for the school's technology. They include:

7.What is the extent of technology training received by teachers? Research has found that many of our teachers have received no training or initial training only in technology. Others receive in-service training on technology or are provided training classes upon demand. The very best are offered formal programs in instructional technology programs.

8. Who is participating on formal committees, teams and boards pertaining to the use and development of technology in the school? Schools tearing down the Technology Facade include teachers, administrators, parents, alumni, community leaders, and even students on their committees for technology budget preparation, curriculum technology, technology planning, and hardware and software acquisition

9. Are technology funds provided by PTA magazine drives and bake sales and end-of-year fallout monies or is it included in the General Operating Budget as a specific, recurring line item? A critical measure of the Technology Facade is whether technology is given equal weight with other school programs and projects or funded with leftover monies at the end of the academic year.

10. For teachers who develop technology-based instructional materials, do they receive compensatory time, monetary compensation, or other specific remuneration? If not, perhaps the schools have recognized excellence via school newsletters, bulletins, and school board reports. Regardless, the Technology Facade is greatly affected by teacher attitudes. If the school sees no merit in instructional technology - and evidences that value with tangible rewards - teachers will ignore the rhetoric to the detriment of the technology program.

11.Is there a Technology Plan for the school and is it revised on a regularly scheduled basis? A viable Technology Plan is critical to meeting the long-range goals of the school.

12. Does the school's Technology Plan contain the following: vision/mission statement; demographics; procedures for purchasing, maintenance, facilities, and security; curriculum impact; a plan for the use of technology for lifelong learning, special needs learners, and exceptional learners; and, an evaluation plan? Many plans are in "name only." A viable Technology Plan includes most, if not all, of the items mentioned in this Checklist question.

13. Does your school provide a computer teacher, computer technician, and/or a technology coordinator? Most schools in the grasp of the Technology Facade place all of these responsibilities in the hands of a single individual - sometimes even a teacher with a full or part time load.

14. Are the majority of computers in the school less than two years old, CDROM-capable, connected to the Internet? Some schools will declare their commitment to technology and still employ outdated systems incapable of running today's educational software packages and unable to access the wealth of materials on the World Wide Web.

Viable Instructional Strategy. Analysis of a Viable Instructional Strategy is supported by questions related to scope and sequencing of technology-based skills/competencies; use of lesson planning for technology-based learning objectives; incorporation of teacher vs. professional materials; and, student assessment of learning opportunities with regards to technology. They include:

15. For technology-based lessons, has the school developed a "scope and sequence" to include technological competencies for all students, by grade and subject area? "Scope and sequence" is a tool used by educators to design a curriculum with explicit learning objectives (scope) delivered in a precise arrangement (sequence).

16. Is there evidence of behavioral learning objectives that include the components of behavior (action to be performed), condition (tools to be used in the instruction), and criteria (assessment standards) in these lesson plans? A teacher's lesson plans should include specific learning objectives (based on a preference for the behavioral, cognitive, or humanistic teaching style) when using technology-based resources.

17. When using technology-based lessons in the classroom, do teacher prepare their own Handouts, study guides, and workbooks to guide the lesson presentation? An over-reliance on "off the shelf" instructional materials is one indication that teachers are not truly committed to learning how to use instructional technology. They should be designing some of their own materials to ensure the instruction is addressing the learning styles of their own students.

18. When classroom teachers wish to use technology resources to present a lesson, are the computer labs available for scheduling without significant delays or are they always filled with students who are "required" to receive a certain amount of lab time each week? The Technology Facade manifests itself by computer labs occupied by students who are there only because "every students gets two hours of computers every week" whether they are addressing technology competencies or not.

19. Do students in the computer classroom/laboratory describe their experience as play time or preparing them for self-learning and future vocations? Students know when their computer time is productive. The Technology Facade Checklist actively solicits their input.

The Technology Facade Rating. The final item on the Checklist (Item 20) rates the School and compares their Composite Score against the following Standard, see [Table 1].

*Total Possible Point: 200*	*Your Composite Score ____*	*Your Facade Rating ____*
175 - 200 points	Outstanding Technology Program	A Rating
125 - 175	Satisfactory Technology Program	B Rating
100 - 125	Modest Phase of the Technology Facade	C Rating
75 - 100	Moderate Phase of the Technology Facade	D Rating
< 75	Severe Phase of the Technology Facade	F Rating

Findings

Table 2. Technology Facade Checklist Results

It is interesting to note that several questions contributed to overall low scores more than others. For example, few schools provided any incentives (Item 10) for teachers who went the extra mile to prepare technology-based materials for their classroom. Items 3, 15, and 16 contributed to an overall poor showing with regard to lesson planning and learning objectives - a trend that should demonstrate the need for school administrators to begin working more closely with their teachers with regards to curriculum redesign to integrate technology into classroom instruction.

Conclusions

In the final analysis, most schools sampled merited a solid C Rating with an average Composite Score of 118.9 points. Only one school warranted an A Rating and several received the F ranking. An interesting note: many schools had an intuition, before applying the Checklist, that their institutions would fare much better than they actually did. Several administrators were terribly disappointed in the final results; however, none questioned the validity of the checklist, the appropriateness of the points awarded, or the areas of emphasis for the purpose of assessing technology-based school programs.

The Technology Facade is all too real. Does it exist in your school? The Checklist can help you recognize problems with your school's instructional technology program. Share the results with your administrators -- along with your volunteer statement to help tear down the Technology Facade and replace it with a viable program. Good luck.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FACADE CHECKLIST

References

Tomei, Lawrence A. (1999). The Technology Facade. San Jose, CA: Syllabus Magazine.

Tomei, Lawrence A. (1999). The Technology Facade Checklist. http://academics.rmu.edu/~tomei/facade/

Tomei, Lawrence A. Technology Facade, The: Overcoming Barriers to Effective Instructional Technology in Schools. Allyn & Bacon Publishers, Inc. New York, 2002.

Item	Pts	Average Score
1	7	5.2
2	7	4.4
3	7	3.8
4	7	5.3
5	28	15.3
6 Ave	7 63	5.3
6 Ave	7 63	39.3
7	7	4.0
8	32	13.1
9	7	5.3
10	7	2.2

Item	Pts	Average Score
11	7	5.8
12	20	11.6
13	17	12.4
14 Ave	5 102	4.4
14 Ave	5 102	58.8
15	7	2.6
16	7	2.8
17	7	4.3
18	7	5.8
19 Ave	7 35	5.3
19 Ave	7 35	20.8
20	200	118.9